Atlantis (M15)
Atlantis was a small continent (about the same size as modern Australia) with many human settlements. Over 21,000 years ago, an event called the "Great Cataclysm" caused it to be submerged into the sea. History Ancient Atlantis Ancient Atlantis was a small continent (about the size of present-day Australia), located in the Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe, which sank beneath the sea approximately 20,000 years ago. The continent of Atlantis boasted one of the most highly advanced civilizations of its age. Founded in about 19,000 BC, Atlantis predates that of any other known human civilization, and began a mere 4,000 years after the retreat of the last ice age. Originally, Atlantis was a land of barbarians; One of whom, Kull, left and acquired the throne of the nearby kingdom of Valusia. The Atlanteans were warriors and hunters, divided into various autonomous tribes. They were often at conflict with the seven "civilized" kingdoms of the Pre-Cataclysmic era (Valusia, Grondar, Commoria, Thule, Verulla, Kamelia, and the Triple Federation), with the islanders of the Pictish Isles, and with the pirates of Lemuria. Over the 500 years between Kull's time and the sinking of Atlantis, Atlantis became the center of a small empire of sailors, craftsmen, traders, astrologers and alchemists. Atlantean sea vessels reached as far as the South Pole with a discovered the Antarctic jungle and game preserve they named Pangea (meaning " paradise "). Atlantean alchemists created the Serpent Crown, a vessel empowered by the demonic Elder God Set. The Serpent Crown is one of the few artifacts of ancient Atlantis crew survived until modern times. Few historical personages of the Atlantean age are known to date. One of the few is Kull, the barbarian-king who ruled Atlantis about 500 years before it sank. Kull was renowned as the slayer of the arch wizard Thusla Doom, and was the enemy of the Serpent People, nonhuman but humanoid offspring of Set. According to some accounts, one of the inhabitants of Pre-Cataclysmic Atlantis was a woman called Cleito, the daughter of Evenor. Cleito mated with Poseidon and give birth to five sets of twins, who ruled the ten provinces of Atlantis. It is uncertain how this information ties in with what else we know of ancient Atlantis. The last years of ancient Atlantis sought direction of the giant glass-like dome over the capital city of the empire (also called Atlantis). Its last rulers were King Kamuu and his wife Queen Zartra, a native of the Lemurian Isles, which had been conquered by the non-human race of Deviants. The Atlantean empire had been in a state of decline after Kull's era. The empire was reeling with civil war in all of its provinces and the fighting kept encroaching closer and closer to the capital city. Finally barbarians from the Lemurian Isles attacked Atlantis on behalf of the Deviant Empire, and to rout their forces King Kamuu opened the magma pits, which were the city's means of heating. The Lemurian invaders were destroyed by the molten lava, but due to unprecedented volcanic pressure beneath the city, the magma release triggered a seismological cataclysm. First the capital city, and then the entire continent of Atlantis itself was racked by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. At the same time, the Deviants themselves launched the attack on the surviving Second Host of the alien Celestials. The Celestials retaliated by causing a nuclear cataclysm, which sank Lemuria and created shockwaves that shook the entire world. As a result of the local geological convulsions and the after effects of the Lemurian cataclysm, the entire continent of Atlantis fragmented and vanished beneath the Atlantic Ocean in about a week. Fortunately, there were a few survivors of the Atlantean catastrophe. The largest concentration of survivors was in the southern city of Netheria, whose priests and intellectuals foresaw an attack by the Lemurians. They enclosed their small city in the dome of an unknown plastic like substance, and excavated and fortified their city’s foundation. Consequently, when the continent of Atlantis fragmented, Netheria remained intact as it sank, coming to rest in a huge sub-sea cavern. Finding a way to recycle their air supply, the Netherians renamed their realm the Netherworld. The Netherworld, now under the rule of Queen Kala, exists today. Tiny bands of Atlanteans managed to find refuge on neighboring islands and the European continent, which were buffeted by the Atlantis catastrophe but not destroyed. One group of refugees fled to Antillia, a group of islands nearby. Other Atlanteans in Europe eventually became the tribes of Cimmeria. The nearby island of Attilan, home of the genetically advanced but reclusive Inhumans, also survived the cataclysm virtually unscathed. About 10,000 years ago, a new type of human being appeared in the Atlantic Ocean possessing gills to breathe underwater, the origins of Homo mermanus are lost. The capacity to breed underwater, found prior to this time in certain individuals of both the Inhuman and Deviant races, may have been scientifically bestowed upon members of mainstream humanity by Inhuman or Deviant geneticists. The legends of the water breathers themselves credit Neptune, god of the sea worshipped by the Greeks and Romans, with their transformation from air to water-breathers. The theory of Homo mermanus is a result of natural evolution is unsupportable. For millennia, the tribe of Homo mermanus were nomadic, wandering the Atlantic Ocean, preying upon small fish for food, using shells of huge crustaceans for shelter, and developing nothing but the most rudimentary tool-making culture. Finally, about 8,000 years ago, the undersea tribe discovered the ruins of the capital city of ancient Atlantis, which had lain undisturbed since Atlantis sank 12,000 years before. The prince of the Sea People, named Kamuu after the legendary surface Atlantean ruler, happened upon the throne of his ancient namesake. Upon recovering the original Kamuu's sword, he was visited by the spirit of the last king of ancient Atlantis. The spirit of King Kamuu bade his water-breathing namesake to settle here on the site of old Atlantis and found a new Atlantis. The young Kamuu convinced people to settle, and they began to build a new city of Atlantis. The undersea city of Atlantis fell victim to natural disasters and sieges by barbarian tribes over the next few millennia, but each time Atlantis was rebuilt in even greater splendor. About 500 years after the founding of undersea Atlantis, a group of Homo mermanus left the city and made their way to the Pacific Ocean. This group founded the city of Lemuria on the opposite end of the now submerged continent of Lemuria from that settled by the Deviants. Due to the acquisition and worship of the Serpent Crown, the magical artifacts from the pre-cataclysmic Atlantis, the Lemurians' complexions and features have taken a more serpentine cast than their Atlanteans forebears. Little is known about Atlanteans history between the time of the founding of Lemuria and the modern era. The Atlanteans' historical records, graven in stone until the relatively recent invention of a paper-like substance made from seaweed, had been all but lost in the dark ages of Atlantean history. The god Neptune is believed to have dwelt among the Atlanteans in mortal form during this period, promoting his worship, a practice that continues today. The Atlanteans also encountered Deviant refugees at some time in the past 200 years, and it was from them that they learned the rudiments of technology. The Atlanteans had very limited contact with their surface-dwelling parent race until recent times. This was largely due to the fact that neither water-breathers nor air-breathers could survive outside of their native environment for more than minutes without drowning. Atlanteans have little or no contact with their human cousins for millennia. However, the two races come into sustained contact, often hostile, beginning in the 20th century. On occasions, Atlanteans invade the surface world. The current Prince, Namor the Sub-Mariner, is initially hostile to the surface world, but fights in alliance with the Allied Powers against the Axis Powers during World War II. Namor defends Atlantis against villains like Attuma and Warlord Krang, who plot to overthrow him and take over Atlantis. The city of Atlantis is destroyed when the super-villain Nitro explodes, taking with him Namor's traitorous son, Kamar. Early 20th Century In the first half of the 20th century, Atlantis was attacked by hordes of undersea barbarians haling from the nearby province of Skarka. Although the Atlanteans managed to repel the invasions, the city of Atlantis sustained heavy damages. Emperor Thakorr, who ascended the throne after former King Immanu died in battle with the barbarians, resolved to move the capital city of the empire from its traditional site. He led the Atlantean populace south, where they founded a new Atlantis not far from the continent of Antarctica. The Atlanteans lived in peace there until the 1920s, when an American ship was sent to Antarctica to clear a path through the icebergs. The detonation of explosive depth charges rocked the undersea city, killing a tenth of its inhabitants. Thakorr bade his daughter Fen to assign a scouting party to investigate the attack. The adventurous Fen decided to go herself. Fen learned that the bombardment was not an act of war, and became romantically attracted to the ship's captain, Leonard McKenzie. The American and Atlantean were soon wed and Fen later gave birth to Namor, a Mutant hybrid of the two races. Most of McKenzie's crew were slain by the Atlanteans, who believed they held Fen captive. World War II 1939 The first declaration of war against the surface dwellers occurred in late 1939, when the Sub-Mariner had one of his early encounters with surface dwellers who were diving in the deep. His grandfather, Emperor Thakorr and his mother Princess Fen authorized Namor to engage in hostilities against the surface world 1940 After his initial attack on New York City, the Sub-Mariner was convinced by police woman Betty Dean to focus his aggressions toward the Nazis who were attempting to conquer the world. Namor then returned to his home land to get the assistance of his people. Emperor Thakorr agreed with this course of action and Atlantis officially entered into the war. The Atlantean military constructed a fleed to Aero-Subs, submarines that also had flight capabilities. The first Atlantean campaign against the Nazis was a strike against Nazi U-Boats in the Atlantic Ocean in the Northern Sea, off the coast of Norway. The attack helped liberate supply boats heading to the United States. However, this initial campaign proved to be short lived as the Sub-Mariner soon renewed his aggressions against the surface dwellers, and the United States in particular shortly thereafter. Following an attack on New York City, Namor returned to Atlantis. Shortly after Namor's return the kingdom was attacked by Luther Robinson and Lynn Harris who commissioned a battleship to attack Atlantis in retaliation for Namor's aggressions against the United States. The battle was won by the people of Atlantis, and both Robinson and Harris were taken prisoner and were to be executed for their attack, but the Sub-Mariner ultimately freed them. However, Princess Fen intended Lynne Harris to be Namor's bride, and so the Sub-Mariner was ordered to bring Lynne back. Lynne then underwent a surgery, turning her into an amphibian, but she was soon rescued by Luther and the couple escaped from Atlantis once more. Following the Robinson attack on Atlantis, the Sub-Mariner decided to once more fight against the Nazis. He and Lady Dorma then returned to the surface world where they clashed with Nazi forces on a French owned island and at a hidden U-Boat base located near the Florida Keys. 1941 By royal decree, Namor ventured to New York City and captured Luther Robinson and Lynne Harris and forced them to return to Atlantis. This kidnapping later led to Betty Dean gathering her Legion of Loyalists together to attack Atlantis and free Luther and Lynne, clashing with Atlantean forces. Namor also ordered the first Atlantis incursion against the Imperial Japanese when they attempted to invade Alaska through a tunnel dug under the Berring Straight from Siberia. However, when Namor went after them he once more clashed with Nazi forces and then agreed to let them all go. Angered by the constant interference of Atlantis in the war, Nazi leader Adolf Hitler ordered an assault on Atlantis. This attack caused massive destruction of Atlantis, however the Sub-Mariner led his fellow Atlanteans on a counter-attack, ending the invasion. One account suggests that Emperor Thakorr was slain in the battle however, it has been stated that Thakorr was gravely injured and placed into a coma. In either case, Namor was installed as the new ruler of Atlantis. Shortly after his ascension to the throne, a plague hit Atlantis, threatening to wipe out the entire population. Namor ventured to the surface world once more and obtained the required radium to cure the illness. Soon after the war on the surface world once more touched Atlantis, the collateral damage of sea warfare decimating much of the kingdom. The Sub-Mariner was convinced by an Atlantean named Rathia to enter into an alliance with other sea dwelling races and conquer the surface world. Enticed with dreams of conquest, Namor quickly formed an alliance with the Seal, Shark, and Walrus people and launched an all out attack on surface continents. The powers of the world were too busy in the global war to anticipate such an attack, and Atlantis succeeded in flooding countries such as Africa, Germany, and Russia. The only opposition Namor and his invading army came from the Sub-Mariner's sometime ally the Human Torch and his partner Toro. However, Namor briefly incapacitated his foes, leaving Toro recovering from hypothermia in London, and the Torch briefly under Namor's control. The Torch was used to melt glaciers to increase flooding, but the hero eventually broke free. By this time Atlantis had launched an attack on New York City, striking it with a massive flood. The Sub-Mariner clashed with the Human Torch in New York City, and was defeated with the assistance of Captain America. During his absence from Atlantis, Namor's position was taken over by his uncle Daka. Daka had those who were opposed to him, including Princess Fen and Lady Dorma, locked up. Daka then forged an alliance wit the Seal People and the Nazis and plotted an invasion of North and South America, starting with Argentina. However, Namor returned home and freed Daka's prisoners and led a rebellion to stop this invasion. The Atlantean-Seal People-Nazi alliance was smashed quickly by Namor's resistance and the prime conspirators were then turned over to the Argentinian authorities. Namor then returned to Atlantis with is position of power restored. 1942 In late 1941 and early 1942, Atlantis took its first act against Imperial Japan following the attack on Wake Island. An Atlantean force led by the Sub-Mariner uncovered a secret Japanese prison beneath the island, slaying it's leaderColonel Yama. Shortly thereafter, Namor and Atlantean engineers developed the submarine SM-1, which Namor used to assist Australian forces in defending their shores from the Japanese. Although the SM-1 was destroyed, Namor succeeded in driving back Japanese forces. Shortly after this incident, Princess Fen decreed that the Atlanteans should once more focus on the Nazis in Europe and ordered Namor to lead a squad of Atlantean soldiers to assist the Free French resistance in France. To this end, Namor and his soldiers provided the Free French with munitions to battle their Nazi oppressors giving them a much needed assist in the eventual liberation of France. However, Namor soon refocused his efforts on the Japanese in retaliation for the attacks on Pearl Harbour, allying his army with the United States military in battles along the Pacific[. With the constant interference of Atlantis in the war, the Nazis had their minion Commander Kornstalk try to convince Namor to ally Atlantis with the Nazis. Namor refused, and the Nazis retaliated by contaminating the waters around Atlantis with copper. With the people of Atlantis facing extinction from the "copper plague", Namor surrendered to the Nazis and agreed to assist them in their war effort. However, Princess Fen led a resistance movement to attack Kornstalk's underwater base and destroy the devices polluting their waters, slaying Kornstalk in the process. 1943-1944 Atlantis was nearly annihilated when Hitler once more ordered it's destruction in 1943. He sent his minions Admiral Von Roeder and Captain Kessler attack Atlantis with an army of manned robots. Once again, Namor came to the aid of his people and assisted them in destroying all the invaders. Atlantis suffered another attack by Nazi forces that learned the location of the domain by forcing a pair of Atlantean fishermen to reveal it to them. After devastating the area, they fled to Antarctica where they were defeated by the Sub-Mariner. Throughout the remainder of the war, Atlantis remained mostly uninvolved with the conflict, with Namor acting alone against both Nazi and Japanese forces until the end of the war. Post-World War II Thakkorr awoke from his longtime coma, and furious that Namor assisted the surface world in his absence, exiled Namor from Atlantis for a time. In 1947, Atlantis was attacked by Stoop Richards and his gang, with Namor coming to the aid of his people. Among the survivors of the attack was his cousin Namora who joined Namor as his crime-fighting sidekick during his exile. Eventually, Thakkor lifted the exile from Namor and he was allowed to return home. Atlantis mainly kept to themselves during the early 1950s, it was not until Namor was called back to the surface world near the end of 1953 and continued his adventures on the surface world. His activities against communist nations made Atlantis a target of reprisals. Although Namor was exiled for a brief period, he helped save his people and Thakorr once more removed Namor from his exile. Sometime later in 1954, Thakorr's step-son Byrrah convinced Thakorr to allow him to attack the surface world, and Atlantis launched an attack on South America. Namor, siding with the surface world in order to prevent further bloodshed, led his fellow Atlanteans into a trap so they were forced to retreat. Furiously Thakorr exiled Namor once again. However when the Lunarians briefly stole the Earth's surface supply of water, the people of Atlantis faced extinction, but were saved when Namor returned Earth's water and his exile was lifted. Byrrah later tricked Atlantean forces to going to war against North America, using ice bergs to cause massive damage, this attempt was also thwarted by the Sub-Mariner. Atlantis later came to the aid of the surface world, led by Namor and Namora, to rescue it from the aliens known as the Unseen and their communist benefactors. Namor encountered Paul Destine, an American who unearthed the Serpent Crown from the Antarctic hiding place where band of Lemurians had buried it. Destine use the Crown to amplify his natural psionic powers and as an exercise of power, destroyed the nearby city of Atlantis with a mental blast. Namor's grandfather Thakorr and mother Fen were among the many casualties of Atlantis' destruction. Namor was rendered amnesiac by a blast of Destine's power, and wandered the surface world for decades before the Human Torch helped restore his memory. Namor returned to his native sea, but the Atlanteans who survived Destine's attack were not easily found. Doctor Doom also encountered a sect of Atlanteans and ventured to what he called 'The Lost City of Atlantis.' However, the race he encountered were fish-like humanoids and not the Homo mermanus race. It's possible they were another city of the continent of Atlantis that survived the cataclysm and adapted to living under water. Their city was not protected by a dome like the Netherworld, but was, however, hidden from the world by a 'submerged mountain' that served as a portal to the outside world. Doctor Droom thwarted a hostage situation by the Atlanteans and a further attack by hypnotizing the entire city into thinking the land above was barren, so there was no reason to venture up there. He also avoided any further knowledge of the situation by hypnotizing the hostages to forget the whole incident. Modern Atlantis Eventually, Namor was reunited with his people, and was crowned prince of Atlantis. Namor decided to rebuild the Atlantis on its original site in the North Atlantic rather than his grandfather's chosen site near Antarctica. With the surface world learning of the existence of Homo mermanus, Atlantis was subjected to ever more tumultuous fortunes. Three times did Atlantis declare war on the surface world and bring troops into Manhattan Island, only to withdraw them before casualties were sustained. Namor even petition the United Nations to accept Atlantis into its organization and was rejected on more than one occasion. Following the death of his betrothed, Lady Dorma, Namor abdicated the throne of Atlantis for a time. In his absence, Atlantis was besieged by barbarians and plunderers. Before long, the Atlanteans begged Namor to return to the throne and he agreed. The Atlanteans were then the victims of accidental nerve gas poisoning, leaving thousands of Homo mermanus who dwelled in the capital city in a death-like coma. When Namor had exhausted other possible sources of aid, he turned to his one-time ally, the power hungry Doctor Doom. Namor agreed to serve Doom for a time if Doom would use his scientific expertise to revive the Atlanteans. Both parties upheld their end of the bargain, and the Atlanteans were revived. For a time, the Atlanteans revered Namor for his role in their resuscitation with such fervor that it rankled him. Sometime later, however, the ruling council of the Atlanteans assessed Namor's leadership, evaluated the impact of his continual leaves of absence from the kingdom, and voted that Namor give up his role. Namor reluctantly agreed. The city of Atlantis and its small empire of colonies was then ruled by Lord Vashti. Organizations *Aquacave *Cave of Death- This was a skull-shaped undersea cavern from the times of ancient Atlantis. *Sub Diego- It consists of a portion of San Diego that was submerged in an attempt to convert humans into subaquatic beings. The population consists of a mix of these altered humans and Atlantian refugees. *Tritonis-The city of Tritonis, *Mercy Reef-The coral outcropping *The Hidden Valley-The twin cities of Shayeris and Crastinus in the Hidden Valley *Hy-Brasil- The city of Hy-Brasil, home of the Hy-Brazilians, their entire city is a floating war machine. *Lemuria- The city of the Lemurians. *Venturia- The Atlantean outpost city of Venturia. *Aurania- The city of Aurania, enemies of the city of Venturia . *Tlapallan- *Maarzon- Maarzon is a barren territory on the outer perimeter of Atlantis, not far away from the isolationist Thierna Na Oge. The region is populated by tribes of green-skinned barbaric savages. *Thierna Na Oge- *Nyarl-Amen-The city of Nyarl-Amen, home of a race of fish-headed men with lightning spears. *Bitterland- The city of Bitterland, home to a race of Seal Men, humanoid Pinnipeds. *Sargasso Sea- The Sargasso Sea, home to a race of froglike neanderthals called "Troglodytes" who live beneath the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre. The Troglodytes have nuclear weapons which may have been salvaged from sunken submarines. *Merezonia- *Sareme- The city of Sareme is a secret undersea domed city. *Kogat Canyon- The Deep Canyons beneath Gotham Harbor, Personalities TBD Races TBD Features One must make a successful Swim check or the Swimming power to move through Atlantis. Characters need a way to breathe if they’re underwater; failing that, they risk drowning. When underwater, characters can move in any direction as if they were flying (with good maneuverability, if that option is in use, except for the inability to swim backward). STEALTH AND DETECTION UNDERWATER How far you can see underwater depends on the water’s clarity. As a guideline, creatures can see 60 feet if the water is clear, and 30 feet if it’s murky. Moving water is always murky, unless it’s in a particularly large, slow-moving river. INVISIBILITY A solid invisible creature displaces water and leaves a visible, bodyshaped “bubble” in the water. The creature still has concealment (20% miss chance), but not total concealment (50% miss chance). At the GM’s option certain power descriptors may be unaffected by this, and a power feat may be available to extend invisibility to aquatic environments. UNDERWATER COMBAT Land-based creatures have difficulty when fighting in water. Water affects a creature’s Defense, attack rolls, damage, and movement. In some cases opponents may get a bonus on attacks. The effects are summarized in the accompanying Combat Adjustments Underwater table. They apply whenever a character is swimming, walking in chest-deep water, or walking along the bottom. RANGED ATTACKS UNDERWATER Thrown weapons are ineffective underwater, even when launched from land. Attacks with other ranged weapons take a –2 penalty on attack rolls for every 5 feet of water they pass through, in addition to the normal penalties for range. ATTACKS FROM LAND Characters swimming, floating, or treading water on the surface, or wading in water at least chest deep, have improved cover (+8 bonus to Defense, +4 bonus on Reflex saves) from opponents on land. A completely submerged creature has total cover against opponents on land. FIRE Powers and effects with a fire descriptor are ineffective underwater. The surface of a body of water also blocks the effect of any such power. References TBD Category:Atlantis Category:M15 Category:Nation Category:Aquatic